Bukky Shonibare – Founder, Invictus
This year’s celebration of International Women’s Day in March was special as it marked 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. While this milestone under the UN theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment” calls for celebrating the strides that have been made in advancing women’s rights, it also presents an opportunity for sober reflection on what remains to be done to attain gender parity on many levels.
In Nigeria, the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the most pressing social challenges, casting a long shadow over millions of women’s lives. Across the country, individuals, particularly women and girls, grapple with the harrowing realities of different forms of GBV alongside systemic inequities that perpetuate cycles of violence. Yet, the available data to measure the scale of gender-based violence, and, consequently, the adequacy of measures to combat it, especially at subnational levels, remains insufficient.
Data is essential for addressing GBV, as it sheds light on the extent of the problem, highlights gaps in response mechanisms, and encourages accountability across government, civil society, law enforcement, and other relevant actors. Without reliable and comprehensive data, interventions may be poorly targeted, resources inadequately allocated, and progress challenging to measure.
While national surveys provide a broad picture, they often fail to adequately capture regional and state-level variations in GBV prevalence, response effectiveness, and survivor support systems. This lack of granular data makes designing and implementing context-specific solutions challenging. Yet, collecting and recording data at the subnational level is fraught with challenges, including inadequate funding, cultural stigmas that prevent reporting, inconsistent record-keeping by law enforcement and healthcare providers, and a lack of standardized methodologies for tracking GBV cases.
Invictus Africa’s annual Womanity Index funded by the Ford Foundation, addresses the data gap by collecting, analyzing, and using data to assess governments’ efforts on effective GBV prevention and response through 18 indicators across five indices: laws and policies, access to justice, support services, information and awareness, and budget allocation and spending. The data for this annual study is collected by a network of local researchers (individuals and community-based organizations) based across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This localized approach is effective because it captures nuanced, context-specific data, providing a more accurate representation of the situation on the ground.
The National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) found in 2018 that 31% of women aged 15–49 had experienced physical violence since age 15. The 2024 Womanity Index, which aims to offer a nuanced portrait of Nigeria’s fight against GBV, revealing both progress and persistent gaps, presents a more alarming picture, with 63% of respondents reporting experiences of GBV in the past five years. The most prevalent form is domestic and intimate partner violence (IPV) at 46%, followed by physical violence (41%), mental and emotional violence (35%), sexual violence (33%), economic violence (25%), and harmful traditional and religious practices (11%).
The 2024 Womanity Index revealed both progress and persistent gaps in GBV responses at state level. However, before analyzing the progress and gaps, it is imperative to first understand how states are graded under the Womanity Index. Each state is assigned two colour-coded grades: an overall grade, reflecting the state’s average performance across all indexes, and index grades, indicating performance in each of the five indexes. The grading system is designed to capture the extent of performance toward GBV prevention and response in the state, while fostering data-driven progress tracking and trend analysis. Blue signifies that a state is “Advancing,” making strong progress toward the aspirational target. Green means the state is “Performing,” demonstrating reasonable progress while still facing gaps that hinder full achievement. Amber denotes that the state is “Evolving,” taking gradual steps toward improvement. Red indicates that the state is “Struggling,” facing significant challenges that impede progress.
The impact of data-driven advocacy can be seen in the results from several states. Overall, we see performance across states that show remarkable progress. A total of three out of the 36 states are rated blue, 11 green, 20 amber, and three red. For instance, Katsina adopted the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and established a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC); Abia’s Ministry of Women Affairs adopted Invictus Africa’s GBV-responsive budget template; Taraba established a family court; Akwa Ibom and Yobe simplified their VAPP Law, translating it into local languages to enhance public understanding and implementation at the grassroots level; Kano introduced GBV mobile courts with six GBV-designated judges, and added a budget line for GBV in its 2025 state budget; and Niger expanded its GBV response by adding two SARCs and introducing a dedicated GBV budget line. These highlight how focused data collection and analysis can inform policy decisions and support advocacy efforts, leading to tangible improvements in GBV prevention and response at the state level.
Regionally, none of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria achieved the blue or red grade; while only two (south-south and south-west) are graded green, the remaining four (north central, north-east, north-west, and south-east) are rated amber. However, despite notable progress, based on comparative analysis of data from the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Womanity Index, the latter edition reveals lingering concerns: for instance, many states remain in the “red” category, with some regressing from amber to red and from green to amber, highlighting the fragility of progress in the absence of sustained efforts, political will, and accountability.
Several steps must be taken to further improve data collection and tracking. Governments at local, state and national levels must invest in standardized and digitized data collection systems that ensure consistency across states. Increased collaboration between law enforcement, healthcare providers, and civil society organizations can help streamline reporting mechanisms. Public awareness campaigns must also be intensified to encourage survivors to report cases, thereby reducing underreporting due to stigma and fear of retaliation. Additionally, state and local governments must allocate dedicated resources to sustain GBV data collection and analysis, as well as evidence-driven prevention and response initiatives. By leveraging data and evidence, advocacy efforts become more impactful and effective, driving meaningful social change and policy reform.
Efforts to combat GBV require a multi-faceted and collaborative approach. Governments must invest in standardized data collection, strengthen partnerships with civil society, and allocate sufficient resources for survivor support services. Evidence generation, as highlighted by the Womanity Index, is critical for shaping effective policies and advocacy. Addressing GBV also demands an intersectional lens that considers economic, social, and cultural factors, including systemic oppression rooted in patriarchy and disability discrimination. Traditional, religious, and cultural leaders must play a greater role in challenging harmful norms and promoting positive ones. Additionally, sustained financial commitment from state governments is essential to closing funding gaps, expanding survivor services, and ensuring effective prevention and response mechanisms.
So, are we making progress? The answer is a cautious yes. As the Womanity Index report shows, several states have made some strides in advancing progressive public policies to address GBV, educating their communities, allocating budgetary resources, and ensuring legal justice to survivors of GBV. The examples of success provided in this article are only illustrative of the overall state of efforts to combat GBV. However, the report also shows that many states are lagging behind, with only three states achieving a blue rating overall on the Index.
Localized and context-specific data remains essential for understanding the realities of GBV and shaping targeted, effective interventions. Tools like the Womanity Index not only help track state-level progress but also enable periodic assessments that foster accountability and sustained improvement. By prioritizing data, amplifying survivor realities, and committing to consistent monitoring, we move closer to a Nigeria where every woman and girl can live free from violence.
By: Bukky Shonibare, Founder, Invictus Africa and Dabesaki Mac-Ikemenjima, Senior Program Officer, Ford Foundation West Africa.